Monday, 4 August, 2008

"All ye Flamingos n others! from Baikal and other lakes and regions in Cold north. Listen up!Don't come to India during this Winter. Our Local Birds are not getting enough of water and food. You simply eat and drink and leave after the winter ! What do you give in return ? Why should we protect you ? Go back to your havens in north and find some other place for winter !"

Nowadays, Many Mumbaikars are searching for a meter or calibrator that can provide instant data on how much Marathiness you have in you and how much of a Mumbaikar you are ? :)

Gone are the days when you would proudly strut around saying "Hey! I am an Indian!". Today You can be either 'Urban Indian' or Bhartian (Rural India) or Uttar Bhartiyite (states of UP, Bihar,etc) or 'SOUTH Indian' or simply 'MADRASIS' (the re-casted state from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, AP, Karnataka), and what not ! Now even Mumbaikar!

This trend must not be mistaken with pride for one's motherland or local flavor. This is Parochialism in its best form! Motherland fervor is simply a tool being used to awaken up the dormant serpent of doom ! (Ok! i take that back!) but yes this is an issue which must be looked upon. I see high scope for high potential and high voltage 'danga-phasaad' (Riots!) in future over Parochialism.This is the reaction i can think of :

Mob will react upon instigation and initial help from Catalysts - Politicians and attack the Common public.

The reaction will be Exothermic and Heterogeneous.

Undesired result is very high. So yield (for good product, as believed by some that parochialism will give) is low.

Result is, People lose hope on democracy creating extreme polarisation, the locals suffer the most as economy, culture bleeds while immigrants detour and go to other places with greener pasture!

Every month I hear of threats emanating from Raj Thackeray's fortress with words of threat to bash up people they consider outsiders - The Immigrants. After his initial tryst with law over his speeches, he has started giving speeches that don't cross the line but neither is behind the line!Nowadays they are focusing on Bihiaris and Upites whom they collectively bunch as bhaiyyas living in Munbai. They bring out skewed data showing Biharis and Upites are the root of all problem for Mumbai.solve ?

x - [ Sqrt ( Mumbaikars' problems ) ] = 0Voila ! if, x = Bhaiyyas!

MNS(Raj Thackeray's party) and some other like minded accuse outsiders of making Mumbai inhospitable, inhumane and dirty. I am sure many of the Localities had their origin in migration during British raj and even before that. (In fact, Humans have migrated from Africa! So by that logic, all of us are migrants! Just a simple extrapolation). So, Which year, month, date and time are they setting for defining Migrants and Locals ? Many of my friends are also getting swayed or polarized by this new magnetic field. They feel only bhaiyya cab drivers are ruthless and rude. They alone spit and defecate on roads. They are the only people who bring corruption into Government machinery. They usurp all the jobs meant for locals. They don't pay taxes and take back all they can to their native places.

By stats, only 3% Indians pay taxes honestly. Rest it is all Swaha! I am also sure 3% of India's population is not Maharashtrians alone. Can't be! So discriminating along the basis of payment/non payment is unjust.Now, majority of bhaiyyas are employed in menial jobs and work on contractual basis as laborers, carpenters, plumbers,etc. Their earning is very low to be even taxed. Still they live in a costly city like Mumbai and pay for food, clothing and shelter. They don't bring food,clothing and shelter from their states. They pay and avail many of the services. What does the MNS expect these people to do by asking them to spend more in the state? They have hungry mouths to feed back home. Should they splurge more on unwanted non basic stuffs in the city or send the money back to quell the hunger ?Corruption. I must say the politicians must speak the least on this matter. Aren't they the alumni and visiting faculty of the University of Corruption ? I have seen corruption amongst all irrespective of his/her region. Well at least, one one point the country stands together !Many usually grumble; Bhaiyya Cabbies are very rude. I must ask such fellas to under a glaucoma and cataract test for their inner eye. Their vision is getting diminished. I have had experiences of bad cabbies from all regions. Well Indians, have forgotten courtesy and the 5 golden rules while interacting with customers.Many feel all the outsiders who come into Mumbai live in slums and shanties defacing the beleaguered city. You must accept that Mumbai is a growing city and this must reflect on its physical boundary as well. The government must develop and take up newer better plans rather than wait for the judgment day! The BMC must be tough on slum establishments. Nip it in the bud. Make the message clear that Mumbai wont allow slum dwellings.

Also why target only Biharis and Upites ? when reports show majority of new comers to the city are from Rural Maharashtra. Over the years the Rural Maharashtra influx into Mumbai has exceeded Northies and Southies. I personally feel, Mumbaikars are completely dissatisfied with the lack of basic needs,infrastructure and other vital facilities and resources that any growing city needs. The political party MNS can sense this discontent, but instead of channelising it to pressurize the government to go on over drive with the pending projects, the party is blaming the outsiders over the issues. The party is trying to play the Marathi Asmita Card and divide the Mumbaikars as Localities and Outsiders. One thing must be accepted that, it is the contribution of Gujarati and Marwari Businessmen/women, Parsis' Entrepreneurship, South Indian Office and clerical staff, Bihari and UP carpenters, plumbers, watchmen, etc along with the Locals that gives the city its color. The city would not be where it is today without their contribution. MNS must stop poisoning youths. As city grows, people who cannot keep up wither away. Well thats the Natural Law of 'Only the Fittest Survive'. So If MNS feels Locals are loosing edge over others, I ask MNS to come forward and take up the initiative to educate/train Localities for the present scenario. Do what Shiv Sena once did ! Train Local Youths so that they can compete with others in all sectors. Make the facilities available to them.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mumbai was a city developed (I must say joined & developed) by Britishers during British Raj with a vision for acceptable number of years. But then, after Independence years of Red -tapism, babudom (that's what i call going 'merry-go round' around Government babus and their offices), lack of vision, lack of urgency, corruption etc, Plans after Plans lay under and above heaps of more plans and recommendations in government offices. The government seems not in a hurry to undertake major overhaul of its infrastructure even though its Roads, Rail are bursting to its seams. Local Trains are really worse than the Hitler's Concentration camp transportation wagons. Every year, BMC speaks of flood less monsoons. This year the first rainfall itself showed the otherwise. Potholes are getting bigger so are the pockets of rich and holes in the poor. Man Holes remain open while BMC vehemently deny any such stuff and admonish US embassy over its travel advisory for Mumbai!This city is going no where! The CM can enjoy luxury of his new posh jetliner while Mumbaikars are stuffed every day into Local Trains just to reach their office. The Government can envisage installing one more C.Shivaji.M. statue, this time in sea while Waterways remain closed for commoners.The government has failed over security n times. People simply have become numb over this issue. This is the grim story of Mumbai (Maharashtra it is worse, maybe next time). MNS is simply exploiting the poor tired Mumbaikars !Alas! People consider his fiery speeches as nice. God !